Question – kids reading literature books

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  • May 1, 2009 at 12:28 pm
    Rene
    Participant

    My 11 yo daughter learned to read late – around age 8 but she was reading pretty well at 9 and took off around 10. She has read books like:

    Anne of Green Gable/Avonlea,

    Island of the Blue Dolphins,

    Streams to the River, River to the Sea: (Sacagawea)

    Heidi

    All of a Kind Family

    The Burgess Bird Book

    Ya’ll may remember when I posted a while back about Hank the Cow Dog and twaddle. Well all my girls love Hank, and so far each time we go to the library they get at least two Hank books and a couple of the audio books. My oldest is the only one that can really read right now – they all listen together or my daughter reads to the younger two.

    However, around the same time they got into Hank, I was putting together my homeschool plans from SCM. I got a couple of the literature selections from the library for my daughter to read as part of school – Rascal was one of them, and the Boxcar Children. I planned for her to read about a chapter a day.

    Well, she found them “boring” and didn’t want to read them. I had not read them and didn’t know how they were and eventually I just took them back to the library.

    So my question is, is reading harder books a learned skill for kids where you just need to make them read something even if they don’t want to?

    Do I need to take Hank away for a while? There are SO many books in the series, and often at the back of the book there will be an excerpt of the next book to get you wanting to read it.

    May 1, 2009 at 1:14 pm
    Bookworm
    Participant

    Hi, Rene!

    If your daughter can read Heidi or Island of the Blue Dolphins she can handle Rascal. But sometimes the very beginning of a book can be hard to “get into”, kwim? I’d suggest trying to read the first part out loud, then leave it for her. Or perhaps look up the old movie (hard to resist that cute raccoon!) IMO Boxcar Children is often going to seem boring to an 11yo. It’s a little young and would probably seem childish. My kids enjoyed Boxcar Children at about 7 or 8.

    I do think she needs some variety in her diet. Perhaps you could have a fun lunch where you only served one thing, even if it’s a healthy thing, (I did this once with carrot sticks!) and then point out that we need to feed our minds on different foods, too, therefore you are going to be encouraging the children to check out books in addition to their beloved Hank. Go armed with some of the online booklists or something to give them some ideas. At one time I required one fiction, one nonfiction and one thing to do with the arts (poetry, art, music, something) to encourage choices.

    May 1, 2009 at 3:40 pm
    Rene
    Participant

    Thank you, Michelle. Great ideas! I understand why you don’t have a blog, but sometimes I wish you did so I could learn more from you. 🙂

    May 1, 2009 at 7:41 pm
    richpond
    Participant

    Yes, Thank you Michelle. Very good ideas!! But I don’t want you to have a blog..because you may just get to busy and not post on this website anymore. This is the only website I frequent. I don’t even read my sister’s blog. (LOL) 🙂

    So, please don’t get to busy to post on here. I would miss your wisdom and encouragement.

    Shelly

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